Donald Trump says he is “very surprised” Australia has not sent warships to aid in opening the strait of Hormuz as the blockade of the key strategic route for global oil supply continues to affect fuel prices.
“I was very surprised,” the US president said in Washington on Friday when asked what he took issue with regarding Japan, South Korea and Australia.
“Well, they should get involved, and I was a little bit surprised that they said no, because we always say yes to them,” he told Sky News Australia.
Trump did not answer when asked what Australia had said no to.
Earlier this week, Trump slammed Japan, Australia and South Korea for saying they would not be sending warships to the Gulf.
“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East,” he said in a Truth Social post.
“We no longer ‘need’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance – WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea.”
Also on Friday, the president lashed out at Nato, describing alliance members as “cowards” for not wanting “to help open” the strait of Hormuz.
Anthony Albanese said on Saturday that Australia had provided the support it had been asked to – and that it had not received a request from the president.
“The truth is that we have said yes to the request of the UAE for the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft. That’s operating there with personnel operating as well. In addition to that, we’ve sent [air-to-air missiles] … So, we continue to provide the support that we have been asked to provide,” the prime minister told reporters.
“[The president] hasn’t asked, so I’m not going to go through hypotheticals. We have done what we have been asked to do.”
He said Australia had signed on to a joint statement on the strait of Hormuz, released on Thursday, coordinated by the UK and signed by France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada and other allies, calling on Iran to cease threats.
“We express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait”, the statement reads.
The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, also responded to the US president’s comments.
“The last thing you’ll get from me is a running commentary on what the president has said,” he told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.
“A number of countries, including the United States, requested our assistance in terms of defending the states of the Gulf.”
Sign up for the Breaking News Australia emailHe said the Royal Australian Air Force personnel operating the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft deployed to the Gulf had the “utmost bravery” as did the more than 100 Australians serving in the region.
“They are making an enormous contribution to the defense of the Gulf states that is very much in the interests of Australia, given that the UAE specifically hosts one of our largest expat communities in the world,” he said.
On Friday, Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, discussed Iran’s deliberate attacks on merchant vessels in and around the strait of Hormuz and how those actions had triggered severe global energy shocks with the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio.
“We agreed that the international community must keep working together to ensure critical waterways are not held hostage by the Iranian regime,” she said in a statement after the call. “Australia does not want to see the conflict continue to escalate.”
The globally important shipping lanes between Oman and Iran have been closed since shortly after the latest Middle Eastern conflict began three weeks ago, sending shock waves through fuel markets.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned the conflict, prompted by US-Israel strikes on Iran in February, is the “greatest threat to global energy supply in the history of the world”.
Customers across Australia are seeing its effects, with surging prices at petrol stations, including one regional New South Wales fuel retailer this week charging $3.39 a litre for both unleaded petrol and diesel and, in Sydney, reports of diesel prices above $3 a litre.
On Saturday the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, praised the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s urgent interim authorisation on fuel supply, which allows companies to discuss, exchange information about and coordinate fuel supply across Australia as a “decisive action to … keep fuel flowing to where it’s most needed”.
The authorisation does not enable fuel suppliers to share information about pricing, the ACCC said in a statement on Friday.
“It’s really important that the big players in the fuel markets don’t treat this as a chance to disadvantage the independents who play a vital role including in regional Australia,” Chalmers said, adding that “anyone breaking the rules must have the book thrown at them”.
To counter escalating costs, DoorDash on Saturday announced a temporary fuel relief program, acknowledging the “significant challenge” of rising fuel costs for its drivers.
Cash relief will be given to drivers who complete 100km or more in deliveries per week, the costs of which will not be passed on to customers.
On Friday, Uber announced it would raise prices to strike “the right balance between supporting strong earning opportunities for driver partners while continuing to offer reliable, affordable options for riders”.
The rideshare company said the hike would increase driver earnings by an average 6% across Australia.
“We know operating costs, including fuel, remain front of mind for many driver partners, making continued support more important than ever,” the company said in a statement.
Its competitor, DiDi, raised prices earlier this week, with customers across Australia now paying an extra 5c per kilometre.
In a report released on Friday, the IEA said the resumption of transit through the strait of Hormuz was the “single most important action to return to stable oil and gas flows” and encouraged governments, businesses and households to avoid unnecessary air travel, work from home and reduce road speed limits in a bid to shelter from oil shocks.
